Hünikon to Fischingen Abbey, 23Km
The full English breakfast has not travelled up the Rhine to Switzerland, in fact it stopped at the North Sea. I had one recently and that was enough for the year. This morning the hotel produced the Swiss breakfast which I’m starting to think is the best breakfast of all. There is the little pot of refrigerated muesli, fruit, a range of breads and croissants with real butter, cheese and jams and young Heidi, fresh from the mountains, making as many cappuccinos as you want. It was difficult to tell the body, which is normally accustomed to a lazy Saturday reading the paper, that this is not a one day walk but day 2 of the annual pilgrimage.
So, we set off with the sun shining and the temperature showing 19 which means it was a lovely day if you only know Fahrenheit (who was a reasonably local lad). The cows were busy munching the grass and showing off their babies who were less than a week old but already doing what calves do.
We walked through fields of wheat and rapeseed, all edged by wild poppies, cornflowers and buttercups. It was a perfect Swiss walking day. I tried to test the timing on the signs but gave up when we passed one which promised Fischingen in 3 hrs 45 minutes only to find another one just around the corner which suggested a more pessimistic 4 hours. And then, when the time was right, and we could almost see the Fischingen Abbey, for some reason best known to the authorities, we were diverted 70 metres up the valley side into a wild nature reserve where all sorts of creatures you wouldn’t want to encounter were promised, such as my old favourite, the wild boar. Giant fallen trees were left to rot on the path and you could see at least one person’s footprint do a 180 and return to the road.
We persevered and we’re rewarded with a spectacular view of the great Benedictine Abbey, beaten only by a spectacular display of pilgrim beers from it’s own brewery, in the reception. I could settle here for the summer.
Pilgrimage 
That triple ambeer sounds good! Maybe you should bring some back home?
It tastes good too but I don’t think I could carry it!
Well done Sir. Your feats of endurance continue to amaze us…and that’s just eating large breakfasts. Anyway, enjoying your daily posts Tim – keep them coming.
Hi Dave, thanks, that made me laugh!
I wonder how they decide which cows get bells?
This is a mystery. Some do, some don’t. Those who do get bells will get different size bells to make the tunes. I need to find out more
Signing in from Florida, Tim. Jeff and I are enjoying our morning coffee so much more now that you are back on your way and delighting us with your wonderful insights.
Hello Rebecca & Jeff, good to hear from you and enjoy that morning coffee
Buen Camino Tim! Looking forward to following along.
Hi Patti, welcome back and thanks
Kia ora, Tim. Great pictures of gorgeous countryside, cows and calves. I really feel for the cows with bells attached – it must be the bovine equivalent of tinnitus. Kia kaha
and also bad for the neck, I would think. But I enjoy the sound
What?…no pole vaulting the fallen trees?! What’s this carefully climbing over bizo…esp for such a sprightly Snr Citz! 😉
So you’re on Day 2 & you’ve already experienced the Swiss jackpot duo of Optimistic Timeframes & Unnecessary Diversions! 😁 Great stuff as always Tim.
Of course I pole vaulted it first time but went back for the photo pose!
what a fantastic picturesque day you had. The weather here in New York is the same – oh to have more of them. The field poppies are so pretty – I have only seen them in France – for some reason we don’t see much here. The cowbells must sound glorious among the “moos”. Your breakfast sounded wonderful even if it wasn’t a full English one – perhaps nice for a change. But not sure what “real” butter is? I don’t know what fake butter is 🙂
Have a wonderful Sunday today.
Fake butter is readily available in Britain. It’s a Whitsun holiday weekend so no cheese shops open but hopefully I’ll get some for you soon
Hi Tim . Glad to see you are back on your foreign tracks.have a great trip and stay safe . porridge for breakfast ? What,no Greggs in Germany ? Best wishes Celia and David
Great to hear from you both. I’m not missing Greggs and you can see why they wouldn’t last long here!